Amphicruiser

History

Dutch Amfibious Transport (DAT) grew out of a plan by four entrepreneurs to run an amphibious bus as a tourist attraction in Rotterdam ^[3]. Its Amfibus went into service with Splashtours Rotterdam, which sold its first tickets in 2011, and the company was based in Nijmegen ^[3][4]. According to DAT, a commission from Samsung in South Korea to design an amphibious SUV became the basis for the Amphicruiser ^[3]. New Atlas reported in 2014 that the vehicle was first designed as a fleet of self-drive tourist vehicles for a safari park in Asia ^[1].

DAT then turned the design into production models, with deliveries starting in October 2013 ^[1]. When the press covered it in April 2014, DAT offered a two-door soft top for €130,000 (about US$180,000) and a fully equipped four-door SUV for up to €180,000 (about US$248,700) ^[1][2]. Co-founder Dirk-Jan de Jong told New Atlas that the Amphicruiser was the company's most popular vehicle and that many inquiries came from Dubai ^[1]. Motor Authority reported that DAT also hoped to sell it to first responders and military buyers ^[2].

Today the Amphicruiser is sold by Emergency Mobility Systems GmbH of Grafenau, Germany, whose website says it was developed in the Netherlands and is built in Germany ^[5]. An Amphicruiser was shown at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2024 ^[9]. The maker says the first operational Amphicruiser Fire & Rescue vehicle serves with the Singapore Civil Defence Force for flood response, and Militär Aktuell reported that the force had used the vehicles since 2025 ^[7][11]. In September 2026 Militär Aktuell reported a live demonstration at the 2026 KSK Symposium in Germany, where the company said special forces had shown interest ^[11].

No production total has been published by DAT or by Emergency Mobility Systems in the sources found. New Atlas described the 2014 vehicle as hand-built ^[1].

Design and how it works

The Amphicruiser starts from a Toyota Land Cruiser. In 2014 it used a 4.2 liter Toyota engine and a stainless steel body styled after the classic FJ40 Land Cruiser but made by DAT itself ^[1][2]. Current versions are based on the Land Cruiser 70 series, specifically the J79 (HZJ79), and the maker offers diesel, turbo diesel, petrol and fully electric drive ^[6][9][10].

On land it keeps the Land Cruiser's four-wheel drive and solid front and rear axles, and the maker lists a road speed of 135 km/h (85 mph) ^[6][8]. It has doors of ordinary height that are kept watertight by seals, which New Atlas described in 2014 as inflatable ^[1][6]. At the water's edge the driver presses a button that sends power from the wheels to a water jet ^[1]. Current figures give one reversible 100 hp jet and a top speed afloat of 5 knots (9 km/h), while the 2014 reports gave 8 mph (13 km/h) ^[1][9][11]. Reversing the jet flow clears most debris from the jet, according to the developers ^[11].

BOOTE magazine lists an unladen weight of 2,900 kg (6,393 lb), a permitted gross weight of 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) and a length of 5.55 m (18 ft 3 in) ^[9]. The Adventure version seats five with 300 kg (660 lb) of luggage. The Fire & Rescue version carries two to six people and 300 to 1,200 kg (660 to 2,650 lb) of payload, and can be fitted with pumps, lights, communications and rescue equipment ^[7][8].

The maker says the Amphicruiser is certified by TÜV as a road vehicle and by Lloyd's Register as a boat ^[6]. It also says a driving license is enough to drive and sail it in European waters, because its water speed is below the level that requires a boating license ^[6].

Photos

Related entries

• Amphibious ATVs, UTVs and TrucksATVs and work machines ·
• Amphibious busTours and transport · 2000s to present
• Gibbs HumdingaAmphibious cars · 2004 (concept) to 2010s
• SherpATVs and work machines · 2012 to present (series production from 2015)
• Argo amphibious ATVATVs and work machines · 1967 to present
• How amphibious vehicles workHow it works ·